Opportunities for Change through Social Learning

Abstract

A shift towards more sustainable consumption patterns through the social practice theory lens entails understanding how practices are reproduced, abandoned or changed. Change can occur across different elements of a practice. Norms around what constitutes healthy and comfortable indoor air climates can be debated and challenged, for example, and housing that promotes natural ventilation can help reduce the need for air-conditioning consumption. Focusing now on people, one way that we change is by learning, which includes a proposition of what is to be learned, followed by our engagement in situated learning. This chapter addresses the question of how people might learn to reduce energy consumption patterns — people, in a broad sense, meaning members of government, business, civil society and households. We will look at how individuals are being promoted as central to change, which is linked to how ‘environmentalism’ is communicated in public discourse, among everyday people and by both public and private interest groups. We will then consider how people might play a role in civil society, and the strengths of existing social networks in Metro Manila today.¹ The focus of this chapter is on the Philippines, and different contexts for action towards more ‘sustainable’ practices and policies.